St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-06-05
little one would now be about as old as


a motherly yearning rose in her beat
ing heart. Her feelings, so long chilled,
were reused to their Utmost depths by
this haunting thought and the sound of
that sweet, childish voice; melting
softneSs spread throughout her being
end she had good mind to give way to
tears.
''Sow, my darling" said La Fleuri-
otte, go to sleep like good girl, and if
you do I'll take you tomorrow to Sainte
GATHERINGS fair
''Sainte Catherine is the festival for
little girls, isn't it, mamma?'
Yes, my DEAR
"ls it true that on that day Sainte
Catherine brings pretty toys. to chill
dren?'
Yes, sometimes"
why, then, doesn't she ever bring
some to me, mammal"
because we live so far away, and
then again we are too poor
Then she only brings toys to the
rich, does she? Why? | should like to
have some too"
well, some day if you are a good girl
and go to sleep: she may perhaps bring
you some alSo.'
"Oh, then I'll go to sleep light off, so
she may bring me some tomorrow"
n stiffness followed. Then the soft,
gentle breathing of both mother and
child showed that they had fallen asleep
together.
But the Bretonne could not close her
eyes. feeling at once poignant and
more than ever before at any time of her
life she thought of the defenSeless,
harmless little creature she had ruth
lesSly Strangled.
This dread, remorSeleSS feeling lasted
until the first Streaks of dawn. At break
of day LA Fleuriotte and her child were
still fast locked in each others arms.
The Bretonne nOiseleSSly crept out of
the howell, and making the best OF her
way back to Auberive, Slackened her
steps only when she reached the first
houses of the small place. She slowly
walked up the only street in the village,
lntently gazing at the SignboardS over
each shop.
At last one of these signs arrested her
attention. She knocked at the shutters
and the door was soon opened. 1t was
one of those little country stores where,
besides Il variety of haberdaShery
wares, cheap secondhand toys may be
bought, cardboard dolls, Noah's arkS
and baa-lambS. The amaZement of the
woman who kept the store was un-
bounded when she saw the Bretonne
buy up and pay for the whole stock.
The Bretonne was proceeding with
joyful heart on her way back to the
howell, when a heavy-gloved hand fell
upon her shoulder. She started, and on
turning round, shudGered to find her
self face to face with corporal of
gendarmeS.
The wretched woman had forgotten
that all liberated cOnvicts were forbid
den to remain in the precincts of the
Central House of Detention"
Instead of vagabondizing round here
you ought to have already reached Lam
greS," said the military man in a gruff
voice. Come, be Off"
She wanted to explain, but it was of
no use. A cart was put into requiStion;
she had to get up into it, and away went
the horses, under escort of one of the
gendarmeS.
The cart jolted mercilesSly along the
frozen road. The poor Bretonne, with
a half-broken heart, clutched her little
parcel of playthingS in her benumed
fingers. Soon. at turn in the road, she
discovered the path which entered the
wood.
Her heart leaped, and she besought
the gendarme to stop for minute. She
had a commission, she said, for La
Fleuriotte, woman who lived there,
close by. She beSOught with ali earn
eStneSS of manner and feeling. that the
gendarme, who, after all, was good
natured fellow, allowed himself to be
Swayed by her entreatieS.
The cart was stopped, the horse was
tied to tree, the gendarme and his
prisoner got down and they went up the
path that led to the howell in the wood.
La FleuriOtte was busy chOpping
wood in front of her door. When she
looked up and caught sight of the
woman whom she had housed on the
previous evening in the hands of gen
darme she stood with mouth wide open.
like one petrifed.
''Hushw calculated the Bretonne, as
she put her finger to her lips. SIS the
little one still asleep?"
Yes: but
Garry these toys softly to her bedside
and tell her that Sainte Catherine sent
them to her. [ went back to Auberive
to fetch them, but it seems | had no
right to do so, and l am being taken on
to Langres."
Holy mother of God!' exclaimed La
Fleuriotte.
"Hush!'
They all drew near the bed where the
child lay.
The Bretonne took the cardboard dolls.
NOah'S arkS and baa-lambs, scattered
them gently over the coverlet, kissed
the thin, naked arm of the yet slum-
bering child, and then, turning towards
the gendarme, who quickly brushed a
tear from his eye, quietly said:
Nov, we can go on our way"